Brittney

Just so you can say you heard it here first, my oldest child was in her first car accident yesterday while she was driving our old van. Long story but the short version is that everyone is fine.
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Sophia Says

I showed Sophia a picture of a friend's really cute baby on my phone.

Her immediate response was "Awww! That's so cute! Can you buy me a baby?"

Me: "No, Sophia. I can't buy you a baby."

S: "Is there one in your tummy?"

Me: "Nope. There definitely is not."

S: "You could put it on the shopping list!"
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Zeke on stage at the Symphony

during their 4th grade field trip to Sioux Falls.

He's the one with the blue jacket.

Birthday

I had so much fun yesterday! The day began when my youngest came up beside my bed, crawled in, said "I love my mom!", and then snuggled in with me and fell back asleep. Then later, Riley came in a gave me a wonderful backrub.

I dropped off Riley, Taylor, Zeke and Anthony at school. On the way, my favorite song came on the radio and we all sang along. Just at the end of the song, my brother called to wish me a happy birthday and we talked for a while before I went home to pick up Steve and Sophia.

No birthday would be complete without a caramel  mocha from Chocolatte so we stopped there on the way out of town. I decided to go inside instead of driving through like I would normally do. It was worth it because I ran into someone I hadn't seen since she moved away. Then another bunch of great gals came in on their way to a shopping trip in Minneapolis. I told them all it was my birthday and everyone got excited with me! Since I always think it's more fun to give than to receive, I picked up my mom and dad's favorite coffee's there too. Donna decorated my cup with birthday balloons and flowers and I was on my way.

I hadn't even seen Brittney all morning but as we were driving, she texted me 'Happy Birthday'.

Steve and I dropped Sophia and coffee off at my parents and then we were on our way to Sioux Falls by ourselves!  We were able to talk and sing to the radio uninterupted all the way.

We needed to stop by Steve's bank in Sioux Falls first. Because of all the construction, we had to detour around a bit, which was ok because it took us right by my therapist's office. I had to drop a paper off for her anyway, so I went in to hand it to her receptionist. Turned out that both Lisa and Kristine (Anthony's therapist) were both in the outer office so I chatted with them for a few minutes. Lisa even sang Happy Birthday to me in spanish and gave me a big hug. Well worth the detour!

I love organization and office stuff and my printer isn't working so we looked at new printers and office chairs for a while. We got some ideas but didn't purchase anything yet. For lunch we ate at Puerta Vallarta Mexican Restaurant. Wonderful food and good conversation. Just adults and no interuptions.

Then we went shopping for sandals. We made it through four stores and the mall before I got bored  found what I wanted. I wanted to do something unique and fun that we wouldn't normally do, so I decided it would be fun to shoot something. That's me and my new best friend, Glock. I've never shot one before but it was SO fun! First time around, my aim was almost perfect. I did let Steve have a turn too.

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After returning the gun, I picked up an iced coffee for me and a strawberry julius for Steve and we journeyed to Falls Park. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day to be outside. We wandered around and just enjoyed the sun, water, view and each other.

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After spending some time outdoors, we drove back to Brookings. My birth mom called to wish me happy birthday and we were able to talk most of the way home. I pulled in the driveway just in time for my date night with my oldest son. He got all dressed up and took me to a night of Jazz. Another bonus came as we were walking down the stairs to get to our seats. I heard someone call my name and when I turned around, there was my teacher/coach/friend from high school, Sally. We were able to chat for a few minutes before the program started and I'm hoping to catch up with her more this summer.

I intended to sit with Dawn but we arrived before she did so I sat at a table with another friend, Cindy, instead. It was a sold-out croud. We ended up with  two extra seats at our table but right as the music was starting, Linda and her husband joined us. Totally spontaneous seating arrangements but it worked out so well! Great music, tasty deserts, coffee, laughter and good conversation.  We all had a fun night but it did get a bit long for Riley. The program lasted from 7pm until 10pm.

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All in all, I'm so glad I made the decision

to have a fun birthday. It was worth it!!!

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Attitude is everything!

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Happy Birthday to Me!

Feeling loved today by all the awesome people in my life!!!

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Birthday :)

The old me hated my birthday. It was a reminder of things I didn't want to be reminded of. The new me has a different attitude about a lot of things.  One of the changes is that I decided a few weeks ago that this year was going to be different. Instead of thinking negatively about my birthday, I'd let people celebrate it. I've had a whole week of birthday fun! It started last week with a birthday lunch with Marie, Sam and Amy at Whiskey Creek. Then on Sunday, I was showered with cards and the Happy Birthday song at Chocolatte - thanks to my mom, Dawn, Maria, Sandy, Linda and Heather. In addition to other fun stuff during the week, Steve will be taking the day off on Friday, which is my actual birthday, and we're going to Sioux Falls for the whole day. We'll be back in time for my date with Riley that evening. He's taking me to 'A Flood of Jazz'. We'll get all dressed up and have a fun time of music and deserts.
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Now it's time to get ready for a birthday lunch at the local mexican restaurant. But not for me. It's time to celebrate Dawn!!! So happy birthday Dawn!
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Best moment of the day:

I had Sophia and her little friend Mason at a coffee shop while I had a meeting there. After we had been there an hour, Sophia started digging in my purse. She pulled out my wallet, found my debit card and said she wanted a snack. I told her no and turned back to the person I was talking to. A few minutes later, Sophia came back to me with an apple juice and handed my my card - with a receipt for the juice. She had purchased it all on her own!!! I guess I should be happy she purchased it instead of just taking it. But seriously, who charges the debit card of a three year old! :/
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People are NOT Projects

How to Kill Relationships as a “Christian”…

Posted on April, 22, 2013 by  Tom Neary

People are NOT Projects:
Projects fall through the cracks and are forgotten…
Or worse, you give up on them because they “didn’t turn out the way YOU ” wanted”
Or they are taking to long to change… So you give up…
People who view others as actual people do not let them fall through the cracks…
Because they realize God never gave up on them…
Because they remember people who didn’t give up on them…
How do you view people?
The longer you view people as projects the more you empower them to put up walls that will keep you away from the Truth and Hope they need…
Who are you to give up on people when God never gave up on you… If you are a Christian and you don’t see relationships that way then I would guess you don’t know God's Grace….
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Good stuff Tom! Works not just in ministry, but in real life too. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed with the suffering of others and I just want to fix it all. But that's up to God. Then there are others who I just want to label and table (put a label on their problem and set it aside because I don't want to deal with them). But that's not what Jesus did and that's not what God expects from me.  ~T.
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Intercessory Prayer

I spent yesterday with so many people. As much as I enjoy the times of laughter and fun, there is also a lot of pain in people's eyes. It usually only takes a few gentle questions to open the floodgates. I see so much into the hearts of people that it hurts me to see them hurting. Computers and phones make it easy to connect on the surface but it is only through personal contact that I can really 'see' someone else and understand their hurt.

I love how God puts His perfect timing in place. Just this morning I was reminded in my bible study that it's essential that we devote time praying for others. I get so overwhelmed thinking that I need to help fix a situation and I have to realize over and over that it's not always up to me to make things right for others. I can only do what God lays on my heart to do; the rest is not up to me.

Yesterday, in the middle of a busy restaurant, a friend shared painful secrets that are weighing heavy on her heart.

After the beautiful wedding, another friend shed tears over a intensely traumatic family situation.

Today, I lift my friends up today with the words of Paul:

"I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe."    Ephesians 1:16-19a

That is not just for my two friends from yesterday. It is for all of you!
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"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed,

yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken

nor my covenant of peace be removed,"

says the LORD,

who has compassion on you.

Isaiah 54:10

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TO MY BROTHER JODY:
Happy Birthday to the best big brother ever!!! No matter what life throws at you, you always smile and make the best of it. At the risk of getting too mushy online, I love you and thank God that you are in my life :)

Me, Jeremy and Jody (the birthday boy)

This picture was taken at my younger brother Jeremy's wedding a few years ago.

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Saturday

The sun is shining!!! I've given up on ever seeing spring but I'll settle for the sunshine. It just makes life so much brighter. Last night I got to catch up with Kim for a few hours over an enormous cup of coffee. Soon, Annie's bringing over coffee and donuts and we'll hang out while the kids play. I don't get to see her much anymore either so we make it worth our while when we do! Marie, Sam and Amy wanted to get together for lunch so we'll be at Whiskey Creek for a few hours this afternoon. I'm looking forward to wrapping up the day with the wedding of a long-time friend at 5pm. Then I'd better sneak in some time to finish up my bible study before class tomorrow. Might be a middle of the night study ;)
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Sophia Says

After I went to the bathroom this morning, Sophia exclaimed, "Yay! You're potty trained!"
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What on earth is He up to?

“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”
 ~ C.S. Lewis,  Mere Christianity

 

Thanks Sarah! I love the insights of Lewis and this was a great reminder today!

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Five out of six kids dropped off at school, ready to take Sophia to Grandma's house and then I'm on my way to Sioux Falls. I love a road trip when it's sunny!
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Brittney will be headed to the BHS track meet in Yankton this afternoon, Riley is going with Patrick after school and my folks are taking Anthony to his Sioux Falls therapy appointment this afternoon. That means I'll just have Tay, Zeke and Sophia during the chaos hours after school.
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I've just started a new bible study. So far, it's been just what I needed. God seems to know what we need even when we don't. I was hesitant to start another study, especially because it's not Beth Moore. But Beth herself said that sometimes God puts things in place and we just need to step out in faith.

We've rearranged Sunday mornings a bit and it's working well. I head to church early for my class and I take a few kids with me, depending on who's ready and what attitude they're having that morning. I usually have Taylor, Zeke, Anthony and Sophia. Steve comes for 2nd service with Riley. After my class, I head to Chocolatte and meet with the 'laughter therapy group'. An amazing group of women (and sometimes my dad :) who are free for an hour and a half on Sunday morning :) We joke that someday they're going to kick us out for causing so much of a disruption by laughing so loudly! It's a great begining to the week.

Brittney has started working at the Valley in Volga on Sunday during their brunch. She usually goes to church on Wednesday nights instead.

Bonus for the week: I was out running errands yesterday and ran into a friend that I've been wanting to see. We're both so busy but there's always time for a chat in the bank parking lot :)

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Tooth Fairy Fail

Taylor woke up this morning and promptly let me know that her tooth has been in a bag under her pillow for eight days and the Tooth Fairy still hadn't come. She's said something every day for the past seven mornings. I don't know if she really believes in the Tooth Fairy or just wants the money but regardless, it's still a big Tooth Fairy fail! How do I tell her that I've had too many pressing issues bouncing around in my mind and I keep forgetting by the time I go to bed?

So this morning, Taylor woke up, sprawled out on the kitchen floor while I was making my coffee and proceeded to complain about the Tooth Fairy. I hadn't even had a sip of coffee yet. I just walked to my purse hanging in the office, took out a 5 dollar bill, handed it to Taylor and told her it was her tooth money. She took one look at the denomination of the bill and said, "Wow. It's a five."

I let her know that it was "interest from the Tooth Fairy for taking so long."

She didn't even flinch. Just took her money and ran.
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Family Movie Night

Breaking out a classic for family movie night tonight. We just finished pizza, popcorn and E.T.  Most of my kids had never seen it. Taylor cried at the sad parts but other than that, they all thought it was a great movie. Kinda funny that 20 years ago it was rated PG-13. I think there were only four swear words in the entire movie and that seemed to be the extent of the parental guidance needed. Even the intense parts weren't very scary.

Sometimes it's challenging to find a family movie that everyone will enjoy but this one was actually on TV today. I DVR'd it so we could skip comercials but we caught up in the last half hour. Turned out ok because that gave everyone time to get their PJ's on during the last comercials.

I'm always taking suggestions for family movie night so if you know of any good movies that are appropriate for ages 8 to adult (Sophia pretty much sits through anything we watch :), message me :)
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Thankful

I'm back to blogging! :) I love how God uses his people to keep me up when I feel down! There are so many people, some who I have chosen to be in my life and others who got the job by default, that keep our family in their lives and prayers even when it's not pretty.

I'm gratefully reminded after my last post that so many of you out there care about our family. When we share our troubles, it decreases the weight on our shoulders and spreads out the burden.

I used to think that I'm not real with people because I don't let many people know what I'm really thinking and feeling. I've recently been taught that's ok because I choose carefully who is safe enough to have information. I'm thankful to have so many people in my life who help carry our load.

Right now I'm especially thankful for the Sunday morning therapy group! They keep me laughing even when I'm crying ;)
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